Expo Line Phase 2 reaches halfway point, marks safety milestone

Skanska-Rados Joint Venture (SRJV) reached the half way point in construction of the Exposition Transit Corridor, a 6.6-mile extension from Culver City, Calif., to Santa Monica. SRJV has worked one million hours worked on the project without a lost time incident.

Since the start of preconstruction activities in June 2011, no workers on the Expo Phase 2 project have missed a shift due to injury.

"We are very proud of our workers and staff for reaching 1,000,000 Safe Hours without a lost time incident," said Brian Freund, SRJV project manager. "This achievement is a major milestone in the construction industry and we look forward to completing the Expo Line without incident."

The Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority said that with hundreds of employees logging in thousands of hours a week working on bridge structures 25 feet in the air, around high power lines up to 138,000 volts and in trenches more than 20 feet deep, maintaining such a safety record is no small feat. The construction authority pointed out that this noteworthy achievement reflects SRJV's focus on an injury-free environment, which is unparalleled in the construction industry and goes far beyond standard safety programs. Working in a dense urban environment along congested city streets, SRJV is responsible for protecting not only the health and safety of its personnel, but also that of the public. The contractor's strong safety culture is what keeps hundreds of workers on the job day in and day out, and the communities along the Expo Line safe.

"We commend SRJV for its demonstrated commitment to safety while making great progress," added Rick Thorpe, CEO of the Exposition Construction Authority.

Major construction on Expo Phase 2 began only a year and a half ago and already the project is about 50 percent complete. Work continues at a rapid pace, with bridges and stations well underway and track work starting this fall.

Service on Phase 1 of the Expo Line began in Spring 2012. Construction on Phase 2 is expected to be complete in 2015. The Expo Line will bring greater mobility to the region by connecting West Los Angeles to the region's existing rail network. These communities are traditionally underserved by public transportation and among the most traffic-congested in the nation.